Safe, efficient, and convenient circulation and access to and between developments should be provided for both pedestrians and vehicular traffic. By creating a safe continuous network of pedestrian walkways within the HHD development and adjacent Village Centre development, pedestrians will feel more inclined to safely walk, rather than drive, between stores. A pedestrian system that offers clear circulation paths from the parking areas to building entries creates a friendlier, more inviting image.
(a) Pedestrian Access and Circulation. Pedestrian facilities shall be designed to meet the following standards:
(1) Sites that are more than two acres shall emphasize pedestrian orientation by creating attractive pedestrian spaces that are landscaped and include other appropriate elements to facilitate pedestrian activity. Efforts should be made to incorporate public open spaces into the design of the development.
(2) All commercial developments shall provide attractive, well-marked pedestrian links between parking and buildings. The connections shall be clearly marked to provide safe access across traffic lanes and landscaped areas. Such walkways shall utilize decorative paving at key locations.
(3) All commercial buildings shall be public accessible via a path or walkway from a public sidewalk.
(4) Any sidewalk or walkway shall be designed to connect to adjacent walkways of either existing or future development.
(5) All redevelopment along Vine Street in the HHD must comply with the Streetscaping master plan. New public walkways, connecting sidewalks and new rights-of-way should incorporate the standards from the Streetscaping Master Plan.
(6) Parking area design shall include provisions for pedestrian access from parking areas to building entrances.
(b) Vehicular Access and Circulation. Vehicular access and circulation shall be designed to meet the following standards:
(1) Primary vehicle entrances. The number and location of vehicle entrances to a commercial development are subject to review by the Village and the approval of the Village and will be based on the following factors to promote good traffic management practices:
A. A site shall not be separated into additional tracts or plats to artificially allow additional access points.
B. The development shall minimize the number of curb cuts with shared access being preferred.
C. Provide adequate improvements to the right-of-way to handle increases in traffic generated by the development. These improvements may include but are not limited to, turn lanes and traffic control devices.
D. Where possible, access points should align with previously approved or constructed access points on the opposite side of the street to reduce conflict points.
(2) Internal vehicle circulation. Safe and efficient internal circulation shall be provided. Where possible, internal vehicle circulation should be designed as follows:
A. Parking lots should be designed with a hierarchy of circulation: major access drives with no parking; major circulation drives with limited parking, and then parking aisles for direct access to parking spaces. Smaller developments may need to combine components of the hierarchy.
B. Main drive aisles should be continuous and connect to the main entrance to the development site.
C. Internal driveways or parking aisles should intersect at angles of between 80 and 100 degrees, with 90 degrees being preferred.
D. Internal driveways or aisles that are intersected by crossing traffic should either have their centerlines aligned or be offset by at least 60 feet.
(3) On-site truck traffic/loading and circulation. Every development is required to provide on-site loading and delivery facilities separate from customer parking and pedestrian areas.
A. Truck circulation paths shall be designed with adequate curve radii and maneuvering room.
B. Loading and service areas shall be located in such a way that trucks accessing the site should not need to back into the site from a public right-of-way, nor back out of the site onto the public right-of-way.
C. Loading areas must be large enough that trucks do not partially or fully obstruct traffic flow on Vine Street or side streets during loading activities.
(4) Connections to adjacent non-residential uses. To the maximum extent feasible, vehicular and access connections shall be provided between adjacent nonresidential development parcels.
(Ord. 32-2011. Passed 6-2-11.)